This document provides a summary of Philippine art history from pre-colonial times to the contemporary period. It covers the pre-colonial, Islamic colonial, Spanish colonial, American colonial, Japanese colonial, and contemporary periods. The major art forms that developed during each period are literature, visual arts, architecture, sculpture, music, dance, and theater. Notable artists and artworks that emerged and gained prominence during these times are also mentioned.

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History of Philippine Art
0 AD 1000 2000
Pre-Colonial or Pre-Conquest Period
900 - 1521
Spanish Colonial Period
1521 - 1898
Islamic Colonial Period
Approx. 1201 - Approx. 1300

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American Colonial Period
1898 - 1940
70's to Contemporary Period
1970 - Present
Japanese Colonial Period
1942 - 1945

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Events
The Pre-Colonial Period is when our indigenous ancestors inhabited the
Philippines and the time before the coming of our first colonizers. Arts in this time
were for ritual purposes or everyday use only. As local communities were
established, art starts to go beyond mere craft, i.e., stone weapons or jewelry but
starts to have decorative elements, meaning, and context.
LITERATURE - It can be in written and oral form. Cave drawings and writings are
the earliest forms of written literature, and rituals, chants, and storytelling are the
earliest forms of oral literature.
VISUAL ARTS - Sculpture, paintings, and pottery were the widely known forms of
visual arts in the Pre-Colonial Period, such as the tattoos from the pintados in
Panay, the Bulul that is a wooden sculpture of the rice God of Ifugaos, and the
Manunggul burial jar that was found in Palawan.
ARCHITECTURE - Earliest Filipinos are known to be dwelling in caves.
MUSIC - They used wind instruments.
DANCE - They imitate the movements of animals and nature.
Pre-Colonial or Pre-Conquest Period
900 - 1521

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In the 13th century, traders and missionaries introduced Islam religion in the
Philippines, specifically, Sayyid Abubakar of Arabia. Islamic art meshed with ethnic
culture and produced a Filipino Muslim art that reflects the ethnic background and
Islamic identity.
LITERATURE - Quran reading was introduced, and the Arabic language and writing
were taught.
ARCHITECTURE - Early mosques were built made of light materials such as wood,
bamboo, and cogon grass.
SCULPTURE - The traditional art form of this era was known as Ukkil/Okki. It uses
geometric and floral artwork. One popular motif of this art form is the use of
imagery of a dragon or serpent.
When the Spaniards arrived in the Philippines in 1521, the colonizers used art as a
tool to propagate the Catholic faith through beautiful images. With communication
as a problem, the friars used images to explain the concepts behind Catholicism
and to tell the stories of Christ’s life and passion.
LITERATURE - Baybayin from Mangyans of Mindoro was one of the only preserved
traditional writings of the Filipinos, and the Doctrina Christiana (the teachings of
Christianity) was introduced by the Spaniards.
VISUAL ARTS - Most of the artworks express a hidden desire for rebellion against
Spain, such as the Basi Revolt that is a series of 14 paintings by Esteban
Villanueva; the Carta Hydrograpica y Chorographica de Ias Yslas Filipinas that is
the first scientific map of the Philippines by Francisco Suarez and Nicolas deal
C B th S l i f J L th t th G ld M d li t i S i
Islamic Colonial Period
Approx. 1201 - Approx. 1300
Spanish Colonial Period
1521 - 1898

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Cruz Bagay; the Spolarium of Juan Luna that won as the Gold Medalist in Spain;
and the Virgenes Christianas expuestas al Populacho of Felix Resurreccion
Hidalgo that won as a Silver Medalist in Madrid, Spain.
ARCHITECTURE - Plaza Complex was introduced; churches were built in cruciform
following the shape of the Latin Cross; Churches are baroque in design but
Filipino design was incorporated; and houses are known to be Bahay na
Bato/Bahay na Tisa.
SCULPTURE - Santos are made of ivory or wood; relleves are known to be the
facade of churches; and the Carroza or the plateria that is a pedestal used in
religious Catholic procession where an image is loaded.
MUSIC AND DANCE - Pasyon or Pabasa that narrates about the passion of Christ
is introduced in 1742; the kundiman Filipino love song flourish; and the Opening of
the Suez Canal -
Galleon Trade was performed with the dances Pandanggo, tango, polka, dansa,
rigodon, habanera, and jota.
THEATRE - Zarzuela of Sarsuela was developed. It is a Spanish lyric-dramatic
genre that alternates spoken and sung scenes, the latter incorporating operatic
and popular songs, as well as dance. Another is the popularly known Easter
pageant, Senakulo, or the Passion Play that is a dramatic presentation depicting
the Passion of Jesus Christ: his trial, suffering, and death. It is a traditional part of
Lent in several Christian denominations, particularly in the Catholic tradition. Lastly,
the Komedya that was created by Spanish priests in 1637. It is a play written to
dramatize the recent capture by a Christian Filipino army of an Islamic stronghold.
It has different versions which are the Moro-moro of the Tagalogs and the Araguio
or Arakyo of Nueva Ecija.

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The American Colonial Period was classical in nature, and the artworks are in neo-
classical and modern form. One of their greatest contributions to the Philippines is
the educational system.
ARCHITECTURE - All architectural designs are classical in nature, including art
deco design on buildings and houses. City planning was a huge step in the
development of Manila, where major buildings are Neo-Classical in designs the
same designs used in Washington DC. During this time, Daniel Burnham
commissioned to design Manila and Baguio, while William Parsons implemented
the Burnham plans.
THEATRE - Vaudeville is a theatrical genre of variety entertainment born in France
at the end of the 1 9th century. A vaudeville was originally a comedy without
psychological or moral intentions, based on a comical situation: a dramatic
composition or light poetry, interspersed with songs or ballets. Vaudeville was
popular in the Philippines during the American period up to the Japanese
occupation.
VISUAL ARTS - Fernando Amorsolo became famous during the American Period
because of his paintings that depict Filipino culture and Guillermo Tolentino with
his famous sculptures, the UP Oblation (1935) and the Bonifacio Monument (1933).
American Colonial Period
1898 - 1940

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The arrival of the Japanese caused tremendous fear, hardships, and suffering
among the Filipinos. The Filipino way of life was greatly affected during the
Japanese period. The Filipinos lost their freedom of speech and expression. The
development of art was also stopped resulting in being the dark period of
Philippine history. It is also during this period where modern art slowly penetrating
the art world. Most of the artworks depict the sentiments of artists during the war.
Modern
artists emerged, such as Victorio Edades together with Carlos "Botong" Francisco
and Galo Hernandes who were considered as the "'Triumvirates" that pioneered
modern arts in the country.
Japanese Colonial Period
1942 - 1945

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Contemporary art mirrors contemporary culture and society, offering the general
audiences rich resources to consider current ideas and rethink the familiar. The
work of contemporary artists is a dynamic combination of materials, methods,
concepts, and subjects that challenges traditional boundaries and defies easy
definition. Diverse and eclectic, contemporary art is distinguished by the very lack
of a uniform organizing principle, ideology, or -ism.
In this time, culture and art became highlighted during the Marcos regime when
Imelda Marcos thought of having a home for the arts, and the Cultural Center of
the Philippines was built.
70's to Contemporary Period
1970 - Present